When in doubt, invite Justin Trudeau

Martin Schulz might be gone but the former European Parliament president’s tactic of bringing famous faces to plenary sessions lives on (recent invitees have included Pope Francis and a string of national leaders).

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is invited as the headline act on Tuesday, February 14, the same week as MEPs vote on the EU-Canada trade deal known as CETA.

Manfred Weber, leader of the European People’s Party, told Playbook the signal will be blunt: “Trump builds walls, we build bridges.”

On Wednesday, February 15 it is the turn of Austria’s new president, Alexander Van der Bellen. A Green party figure who ran as an independent, Van der Bellen will be held up as a symbol of what can be achieved when pro-EU forces work together against Euroskeptic populists, instead of trying to copy them.

The next big name to get an invite is likely to be Theresa May, to explain her Brexit position when Article 50 is triggered. The party leaders Playbook spoke to doubt she will accept.

This article has been updated to correct the date of Justin Trudeau’s planned visit